Colon cancer is the number two cause of cancer death in the U.S. Thankfully, 90 percent of colon cancer deaths are preventable with regular screenings. Getting a colonoscopy is the best protection against colorectal cancer. If you're 50 or older, you should receive a colonoscopy once every 10 years. Depending on your personal family medical history and risks, you may need to be screened even earlier.

A colonoscopy is the best way to find and remove growths before they become cancerous. During this test, patients are kept comfortable with moderate IV sedation while a general surgeon uses a flexible, lighted tube with a tiny camera to examine the inside of the colon. The procedure itself usually takes less than 30 minutes and is painless.